This blog is to help offer support to the Thomas Family and their daughter, Christi, in her battle against cancer. Please visit Christi's website at www.ChristiThomas.com to learn more. There, you'll find journals, photos and a lots of other information about this amazing child and her family.

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Monday, October 18, 2010

A Ride Into History

"A Ride Into History" written by Shayla age 11, about our favorite experience while in Gettysburg on fall break (Thanks, Shay Shay!)

When we first arrived at the campgrounds, we had to check in at the office area. We filled out the forms and walked around the gift shop. Then we got mom fitted for her helmet and walked over to the barn. There was a holding stall area for us and I sat down in front of the rules. After being shooed away from the rules so that she could explain it to everyone, we went into a shabby barn. The only light came from the holes in the ceiling and the other wall that wasn’t there. We were given our horse’s names and told that those names would be ours for the next two hours. Mom was freaking out because she got the horse named Chance because it was your last chance to turn around. It was really funny because dad got a horse named Joy which we could tell mom would much rather have had. Mom and dad got led to their horses and I was still standing there. Finally, my name was called and I heard that my horse’s name was Bailey. I walked towards the back of the barn with a wrangler and there was a really pretty white horse with black spots. I really wanted to be on that horse and there was an open stall. I got led into that one. My horse, Bailey, was all the way in so I didn’t see her sticking out. She was a tanish color with a blackish colored mane. The horses were eating in their stalls as the wranglers led us up to them. Once I was up, I examined my surroundings. I saw mom a little bit in front of me and dad off to my right. Dad’s horse, Joy, was huge and black, unlike it’s name. Mom’s horse was medium sized and pretty brown colored. Once everyone was mounted and we all had our headphones on a voice came from what seemed like nowhere. It was from the headphones which had a microphone system so that the person could talk and it spread to everyone’s headsets. The voice turned out to be a person who used to be a park ranger and who knew a lot about the civil war. She rode in the middle of our group of 22 horses and told us about what we were seeing. Once everyone was on their horses we stepped out of the barn and started riding towards the road. We crossed the road and got on a small tail that led through some brief trees and on to the battlefield! We rode past houses where you could see that cannon balls went through, and shells. We saw fences that were made out of stone with wood across the top and lots of unfarmed fields. At the half way mark we came to a big circle and had our pictures taken. Then we started our long trip back.